Focus like for video?
I am used to using video cameras, ( I run a small video production company) and the standard practice for ensuring focus is to use manual focus, zoom in on the subject, find your focus and then zoom out to frame up. We very rarely use autofocus. The focussing screen on our video cameras makes it easy to find focus, whereas it is very difficult to find focus on the K7. Since in video we tend not to trust autofocus, I am using the same technique for the K7 as I use with a video camera . From what I have read many people here trust autofocus and in my tests it seems to be easier. But I cant quite let go of the idea that I should be zooming in, focus and then frame up. Anybody got any thoughts as to what is best practice? I am sure there are many different situations where one or other method might be preferable. Is there a standard 'professional' practice?

Graham

I seem to have a new custom setting, presumably it came with the latest firmware update. Certainly isnt in the manual that came with the camera.

The setting is 36 and it says - Operation when AF point is set at "SEL". There are two options

1 is "Calling Function Preference". 2 is "Select AF Point Preference".

The description for option 1 says:

"When AF point switching dial is set at "SEL", the preference is for calling shooting function.

The description for option 2 says

"When AF point switching dial is set at "SEL" the preference si for selecting AF point.

I think I know what option 2 does, but I have no idea what option 1 does.? Can someone give me a simple explanation and under what circumstances this might be useful?

Graham

Got it sorted - the PDCU4 software needed an update as well to ver2.07. All is good.

Ok a bit of fresh information - this only seems to be happening with the images I took today. Last night I updated the K7 firmware to ver1.10. That seems to be too much of a coincidence.

Hi - my first post so apologies if its in the wrong place.

I am using the Pentax Digital Camera Utility 4 software supplied with my brand new K7 to view and tweak my first photographs. It was working ok but today it is killing any .dng files and .pefs that I try to work with.

The images show up in the thumbnails, and load up into the display window, but as soon as I use any of the tools, like click the set contrast checkbox to change from the camera setting - the image goes completely black. If I save the black file it saves as a black jpg or tiff. The thumbnail also goes black. If I view the image outside of the PDCU software the image is still ok - I can open it in Irfanview, and I can see the thumbnails in Windows Explorer. Any advice? I am on Windows XP, the software is Ver 4.0.0.7.

Hi - I got my K7 last week and still trying to figure out how to set it up. I did some photography 30 years ago with a Mamiya DX1000 (still have it) but things have changed a bit. My head is swimming with all the various, numerous, unfathomable combinations there are. I am by no means a technophobe - for the last 22 years I have earned my living shooting and editing videos, so I'm familiar with digital technology and expensive kit. But wow - what a lot to get my head around! Ok got a couple of questions to ask.

Graham